


Never Saw You Coming

by Hollyspacey



Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Thor (Movies)
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Eventual Smut, F/M, First Kiss, Flirting, Idiots in Love, Natasha Is a Good Bro, Romance, Texting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-26
Updated: 2015-05-26
Packaged: 2018-04-01 03:16:16
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 12,920
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4003780
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hollyspacey/pseuds/Hollyspacey
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Darcy and Steve are too smart to let a little kiss unravel their friendship, no matter how much they may like each other. Right?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Steve Rogers hated Tony Stark.

Ok, maybe hate was too strong a word, but at this moment, on this night, Steve felt it was entirely appropriate. Tonight found Steve standing in an ostentatious ballroom in one of the fanciest hotels in Manhattan wearing an unbelievably uncomfortable suit, surrounded by snooty society types. It was the annual Stark gala, and Steve had been manipulated into making an appearance by Tony. And all this without Steve being able to get drunk to make it through the night.

Thus, Steve hated Tony Stark.

Steve dared a glance around, hoping to not make eye contact with anyone, in particular any of those who wanted to escort him around the room like he was their shiny new toy to show off. Or the female guests who thought a glance meant interest, and his distance meant shyness. The truth was, Steve had no interest in the types of people who tended to show up to these things.

And perhaps he was being too harsh, there were probably some lovely women here. The ones he usually came in contact with, however, were too forward, too fake, too interested in dating Captain America, and not interested enough in Steve Rogers. He'd overheard too many whispered plans someone was making to 'bag a superhero' to let down his guard easily.

This visibility was Steve's least favorite thing to come from his joining the Avengers. No one saw him as Steve Rogers, all they saw was the shield and the costume. He had met plenty of women, usually through one of these little Stark get togethers, that seemed nice and normal. But inevitably, Steve would realize that they were only being nice because they thought that would get them in with him. Dating an Avenger seemed to be the ultimate social coup.

Steve wanted a girl that liked plain old Steve Rogers, a girl that was sweet and funny and real. And, unfortunately, this gala was not the type of place where girls like that hung out.

So caught up in his mental pity party, Steve was taken aback when his phone buzzed in his pocket. He grabbed it immediately, glad for the reprieve. Maybe aliens were attacking or someone was trying to take over the world or something. Anything would be better than this. He looked at his screen, realizing it wasn't a call to assemble. It was a text message from Darcy.

**Darcy** : _Why so glum, sugarplum? You look like someone just kicked a bald eagle in front of you_.

Steve let out an involuntary laugh, looking around the ballroom until he noticed the brunette, sitting at a table across the room with Thor, looking completely innocent. Steve felt a rush of affection for the girl who had wormed her way into their little gang of misfit superheroes.

When Tony Stark had hired Jane Foster to come work for him at Stark Industries, part of the deal was that she brought her assistant and best friend with her. They were a package deal and it seemed as though Darcy was the only one who could corral her little scientist into doing the normal human things, such as eating and sleeping and socializing. Then Darcy had shown that her scientist wrangling could extend farther than just Jane, and she had taken Tony and Bruce under her wing, too.

She had won them over with her frank honesty and sharp tongue, but also with how kind and gentle she could be. How human. That frank humanity was what also won over the rest of the Avengers, for as super as they could be, the simple human side of things sometimes got lost in the midst of fighting evil and saving the world. She had befriended Clint and Steve later, and even Natasha, bringing out a side to the superspy many of them had never expected.

The first time Steve walked in on a Darcy/Natasha girls' night, you could've knocked him over with a feather. None of them had ever even assumed that Nat had a soft side, but Darcy brought it out so effortlessly. Steve understood it. He himself felt that lightness around Darcy. That ability to let down his guard and be an actual person, no putting on airs, or playing the part of an Avenger. He could be Steve, and Darcy still seemed to like him. It was wonderful.

When he first met Darcy, he had developed a sort of crush on her. That sense of joy with which she went through life was like a light in the darkness to Steve. Not to mention she was gorgeous. Dark wavy hair, bright mischievous eyes, plump lips. And that was just her face. Her body was like something they would have painted on a warhead back in the old days. All curves.

Steve had thought that maybe Darcy was interested in him too, had even summoned up the courage to ask her out, when she agreed to go on a date with one of the guys from IT. The guy didn't warrant a second date, but it made Steve realize that she was friendly and exuberant with everyone, it was what made her Darcy. It didn't mean she was interested in him romantically. So, he settled for being her friend.

And now, sitting here at this miserable party, Steve recanted his statement from earlier, about how nice girls never came to these shindigs. Sometimes Stark roped them into coming, too.

He looked back down at his message, before typing out a reply.

**Steve** : _Stark did it. My favorite bald eagle, too He kicked it then cooked it up and now I think Thor is eating it._

Darcy read the message and glanced at Thor, still blissfully shoveling food into his face, before covering up her mouth to cover her giggles.

**Darcy** : _Well, that's what happens when you put anything edible around the mighty golden god. Seriously, though, why do you look so miserable?_

**Steve** : _Who said I was miserable?_

Darcy looked at him and rolled her eyes before turning back to her phone.

**Darcy** : _Please. You look so unhappy to be here._

**Darcy:** _This is a night solely devoted to getting all gussied up and chowing down on free food and booze courtesy of the Man of Iron._

**Steve** : _I guess. I am just not a fan of the people who come to these things._

**Darcy** _: I am going to assume that you don't mean me, Cap. Because we both know I'm awesome. :)_

**Steve** : _Well I can't argue with that._

**Darcy** : _Ha ha, whatever. So, how about you stop lurking in the corner and come sit with us?_

**Darcy _:_** _I promise, I'll make sure Thor behaves._

**Steve** : _Thor isn't the one I'm worried about._

Darcy read Steve's message and tilted her head and stuck out her tongue at him. He hid a grin and started in the direction of Darcy and Thor.

Maybe it was the distraction of one Miss Darcy Lewis, or perhaps he was getting forgetful in his old age, but Steve forgot that he was avoiding the guests at the gala. So, of course, he walked right into the lion's den. "Captain America! I'm so glad to see you here! You know I have been hoping all night to get to speak to you." He winced at the high pitched voice that met his ears. He looked at the source, seeing one of the women he had been avoiding all night.

Very pretty, for sure, but he and his super soldier hearing knew exactly the kinds of things she'd been saying about him all night. How exciting it would be to snatch up a superhero, how everyone would recognize her. She was less interested in getting to know him, and more interested in being seen with Captain America. No thank you.

He forced his lips into a smile, giving in to making small talk with this woman. Just socialize for a few, then politely walk away. The woman was having none of it. After a few insipid minutes of hearing her name drop (most of the names Steve didn't even recognize) and talking about herself while glancing around to make sure everyone saw who she was talking to, Steve started feeling desperate. He glanced at Darcy, dismayed to see her watching him struggle with obvious glee.

Barely glancing down, he pulled out his phone and discreetly typed a message to Darcy.

**Steve** : _Help._

He hit send before turning his attention to the woman standing before him. Steve nodded along to whatever she was saying, praying Darcy would take mercy on him. Just as he felt the woman lay her hand on his arm, Steve heard a voice beside him. "I'm very sorry to interrupt, Captain, but Mr. Stark needs to see you. I'm afraid it's quite urgent."

Steve hid his sigh of relief, pasting on his 'saving the world' face, "If you'll excuse me ma'am, duty calls." He could hear the woman behind him scrambling to give him her name and number, but Darcy wedged herself between them and pushed Steve forward.

They wound their way through the crowd, headed towards the hallway, looking very serious and official before Darcy switched direction and headed into a partially covered alcove to the side. Steve slowed down, shooting Darcy a puzzled look. "Just come on, soldier. I promise I'm not taking you anywhere too sketchy."

"I don't know if I trust your standards of what may be 'too sketchy.' I've heard some of the stories you've told about your college days."

She rolled her eyes, "Hush, please, or I won't show you my super cool hiding spot. Now shut your trap and follow your fearless leader." With his free hand, he mimed locking his lips with a key, a move he stole directly from Darcy. She must have approved, for she just nodded and dragged him around a corner.

There in front of them was a set of french doors leading out to a balcony overlooking the city. Darcy leaned against the doors and grinned up at him, "See? Told ya. Now, tell me how amazing I am."

"Darcy Lewis, I am in awe of how amazing you are," he said, with only a bit of sarcasm, "Now, is it locked or can we go out?" Darcy twirled around and opened the doors, grandly gesturing for him to go through them. He did, taking in a deep breath of the city air, not realizing until that moment how stuffy and suffocated he had felt inside the ballroom. Even Darcy seemed to relax, letting her body shift into a comfortable angle as she leaned against the railing and looked down.

They stood in silence for a bit, her watching the traffic on the street below, and him watching the soft city lights dance across her face. He took this time to really look at her, she was usually talking a mile a minute. It was rare to see her standing still, looking so serene. Steve just took it in, enjoying the moment. "You know it's rude to stare."

He looked away quickly, "I wasn't staring, I was watching."

"Same thing." She shifted her head and looked up at him, the calm smile on her face. "You know, it's nights like this I miss New Mexico. Jane's lab had this cool rooftop and whenever we needed a break from sciencing, we would go up there and just sit. Stars all around, so quiet, it was like a totally different world. I mean, I love New York, and the roof at Stark Tower is pretty sweet, I'm not gonna lie. But I miss that quiet... vastness. That feeling like you're the only person that exists, it's just you and the stars. Gah, that sounds so cheesy," she said, ducking her head.

"No, I get it. When the war was on, sometimes I'd go out at night and just look up. Makes you feel so small, like all this stuff you're fighting for means nothing in the grand scheme of things. But it was reassuring, like no matter how bad we messed up, those stars were still gonna be there tomorrow. So, yeah. I get it."

They stood in a content silence before Steve broke out, "Wait, you've been on the roof of the Tower? How? Tony won't let anyone up there."

Darcy giggled, "I have my ways. Let's just say that a certain AI loves me."

"Of course. I should've guessed. You know it drives Tony insane that you've somehow befriended JARVIS."

She clapped her hands, a look of glee on her face. "I know! I love it!"

He shook his head, "How did you do it, though? I couldn't even get him to stop calling me Captain Virgin for two weeks after I moved in!"

Darcy's eyes widened and a laugh erupted from her mouth, "Oh my god, you are kidding! Poor Stevie. Tony does seem to get an absurd amount of pleasure out of picking on you." She grinned and shrugged, "But seriously, JARVIS loves me because I am nice and I don't take any of Tony's shit. Maybe he can sense a kindred spirit or something. Or maybe it's because he gets to see me naked on the regular," Darcy said with a wink.

Steve felt his eyebrow twitch, "Well, I can't say I blame him. If I got to see you naked on a regular basis, I might be persuaded to break all the rules too," he finished with a chuckle. It was meant as a joke, but somehow felt more like a confession. He could feel his face flame and the tightness in his throat from the idea of a naked Darcy. He looked at her, unsure of how she would respond. There had always been an undercurrent of flirtation, mostly from her, but this was the first time he had shot back something so blatantly flirty.

She just arched an eyebrow, "Hmm. Well, play your cards right and maybe we can do something about that. Bring out that rebellious side."

He stood still, looking at the fire that had erupted in her eyes, knowing it was reflected in his own. Perhaps it was that they were out here in the night air and they had just had a real moment, but something felt different than their usual lighthearted banter. This felt like they had crossed a line somehow, but in the best way possible. Steve was always the good one, always doing what was right and noble. Maybe him being a little bad could be a good thing.

"Well, I've been known to break the rules in the past. If there's something worthwhile breaking them for." He watched her as the corner of her mouth tilted up. She didn't say a word, just straightened and took a step towards him, a challenge in her eyes. After a beat, she spoke, "I'd hate to see America's hero turn bad. But if you need help finding some trouble to get into, I'm sure I could be of some help." Her voice sounded like the sweetest sin he could imagine.

He slid closer to her, mere inches from her body, before reaching out his hand and touching a lock of her hair that was hanging near her face, his finger barely brushing her cheek. He watched as her lips parted and her breathing seemed to speed up a little, not unlike his own. "I'd hate to drag an innocent bystander with me on my road to ruin, but that offer is certainly tempting."

"Believe me when I say I'm far from innocent."

"Oh, really?"

She nodded slowly, "Yep."

"Well, I suppose if there's no danger of me corrupting you..." He could feel the electricity passing between them, every shift in her body setting off sparks in his. He leaned towards her, hesitant despite his want. Darcy was having none of that and closed in the space between them. He could feel her soft warmth and gentle curves, and, in that moment, Steve was certain that this was exactly what was supposed to be happening, that every comfortable conversation and casual hangout was just a precursor to this.

Not overthinking things for once, he placed one hand gently on her hip and the other ran from her shoulder, up her neck to cup the back of her head. He barely registered her placing her arms around his sides as he dipped his head and gently brushed his lips against hers. He could feel her soft gasp on his lips and he took that as his invitation to deepen the kiss.

It was if time had both sped up and stopped all at once. The world reduced to the two of them and the feeling of his body against hers, the taste of her tongue touching his, their heartbeats racing. Steve could feel his body buzzing.

No, it was literally buzzing.

He noticed this the same time that he registered a loud song start playing. They both froze, their lips breaking apart. He looked down at her as the clouded look left her eyes and was replaced with a look of frustration. "Typical," she sighed, pulling her ringing phone from her pocket. "This better be important, Jane."

She took half a step back and turned to the side to talk to her friend. His body immediately missed her warm touch, but he just turned back to lean against the railing, breathing in unevenly. "No, I just stepped outside for some air. You wandered off with Bruce to do sciencey things and Thor was preoccupied with his meal and it was super hot in there." She said this with a glance to Steve, before turning back around. "Ok, yeah. I'm coming back in now."

Steve watched her hang up her phone and stuffing it back into her pocket. She still had that shocked look in her eyes as she shifted nervously in place, looking unsure of herself. Steve's heart sank as he watched her reaction. He silently cursed himself for crossing that oh-so-tempting line. _Please tell me I haven't ruined this_.

"That was Jane, she has to get back to the lab. We're leaving. Umm, so, yeah."

He had never seen her so uneasy. "Oh, ok. Well, I guess I need to get back too."

They stared at each other for a moment before Darcy nodded, "Yeah. Yeah, ok." The two of them headed through the doors and back through the alcove into the party. Darcy hesitated as they entered the ballroom, "It was nice talking to you, Steve. Have a good night." He looked into her eyes, trying to figure out what she was thinking, "I enjoyed it too. You have a good night, Darcy."

He saw a spark from earlier in her eyes, fighting among the confusion and uncertainty he also saw there. Interesting. Maybe she didn't regret their little moment on the balcony as much as he thought. And maybe she didn't how to react to it any more than he did.


	2. Chapter 2

_What the hell just happened?!_

Darcy sat beside Jane in the car headed back to the tower trying to listen to her friend babble on about some idea for an experiment Bruce had given her. She simply could not forget about that kiss, though. It was like it was on replay in her mind.

She had always had a thing for Steve but after lots of flirting and hoping on her part, nothing had ever happened. So this was unexpected to say the least. But also kind of spectacular. 

She absentmindedly brushed her fingers over her lips, remembering the soft feel of Steve's mouth. The man might be nearly a century old, but he certainly knew how to kiss.

"Umm, hello. Earth to Darcy!" Darcy jumped and looked at Jane who was staring back with a look of concern on her face, "What is up with you? You have been distracted ever since we left the gala. You didn't even yell at me for ditching you to go talk science with Bruce."

"Nothing. I'm just tired," Darcy mumbled. Jane gave her a doubting look, "Uh huh. Well, that sounds like you just don't want to tell me. That's fine, it's late, I won't push it. Just know that I don't believe you and I will find out. Because I'm your bestie, and that's my job." Jane nudged Darcy with a grin and Darcy felt a grateful smile on her face.

Jane could be difficult and antisocial and borderline rude sometimes, but she was Darcy's best friend and she took that tole seriously. "Aww, look at you being all fierce on my behalf. I love it." Jane just rolled her eyes and continued discussing her new experiment.

Darcy took this as her sign that she could space out again, although that was probably a mistake because her mind immediately turned to thoughts of a particular super soldier. Ugh.

When they arrived at the tower, they rode the elevator up to the apartments, Jane and Thor living across from Darcy. "Lady Darcy, I bid you goodnight. I wish you well to remedy whatever is ailing you."

"Thanks, Thor, but I'm fine," she said, ignoring the pointed look she received from Jane, "And goodnight to you too, thanks for keeping me company while this one ran off and ignored me."

"Always," Thor replied with a grin and a nod, before entering the apartment. "Night, Darcy," Jane waved over her shoulder as she followed her blond hunk. Lucky. "Night, Jane."

Darcy entered her apartment and stripped down, determined not to go to bed thinking about Steve and deciding that the only way to clear her mind was a long shower. As she lay in bed later, she pulled out her phone, noticing that she had a new text message. Her heart unconsciously jumped, it could be Steve. _Ugh, gross. Please don't be turning into one of those girls, Darcy._ She pulled up the message. Oh, Natasha.

**Natasha** : _Girls' night tomorrow? Jane said you're both free._

Darcy sighed, she wasn't really in a social mood. But maybe that's just what she needed, a night away from her problems, where she spend time with her two best lady friends and laugh and watch cheesy movies and drink way too much alcohol. Also, she was not quite brave enough to say no to Natasha. She sent off a quick text saying she’d see her tomorrow night.

OK, so now to stop focusing on a certain man. Except, she couldn't. Feeling a little foolish, Darcy pulled up the messages from earlier and reread them. Things between her and Steve had always been so easy. She knew that sometimes her brash (although she preferred the terms honest, or lively) personality could scare people off, or rub them the wrong way. She had found it was a good way to weed out people she didn't want in her life and it served her well.

So, when Thor introduced her to Steve she worried that he, being from a time when ladies were, well, ladies, would tuck and run. But, no, he took her open observations and shameless flirtation in stride. More surprisingly, he seemed to like it. When they got closer and he told her about Peggy, she realized that as shy and old-fashioned as Steve Rogers could be, he liked his women a little feisty. Not that she was his woman.

Darcy spent many a night fantasizing about Steve. Any other man, she would have already tried to seduce. But, something felt different about him. Aside from the fact that he was Captain America, he was her friend, and as he had shown no move towards anything more than that, Darcy did the same. Any lust she felt for him was kept under wraps until she was in bed at night, pretending her hands were his, imagining how he would feel on top of her, sighing his name into the night. Tonight was no different, but this felt different, now when she imagined the feel of his lips on hers, it was no longer imagination. It was all memory.


	3. Chapter 3

The next morning Steve was awake before sunup. He had slept fitfully and woke feeling the need to get the tension out of his body. He got dressed, and with the first rays of light peeking over the horizon, headed out of Stark Tower toward the park. He ran and ran, miles upon miles, until he could feel his head clearing.

He didn't know where he stood with Darcy now, and this bothered him. Their relationship had always been so easy, and this kiss had shifted the balance somehow. That look in her eyes, though. She didn't look like she regretted the kiss. There was shock and confusion, sure, but underneath that was the lust that had pushed him to kiss her in the first place. He just needed to see her so they could figure this out.

Steve slowed to a jog and started back towards the Tower. He headed into the communal kitchen to grab some water and some breakfast, only to find the very girl he couldn't stop thinking about. Darcy sat at the table eating a bowl of cereal and arguing with Clint. He met her widened eyes and he quickly looked away. Ok, so still awkward.

Clint threw his arms up in the air and sighed dramatically, "No way, Darcy! You are crazy!"

"I swear, Clint, you have no clue what you're talking about."

Steve grabbed a bottle of water and leaned against the counter, watching the two yell at each other.

"Ok, we'll ask Steve, how about that?" Clint said. Darcy glanced at him and turned her attention to her cereal, shrugging, "Go for it. I know I'm right." Steve lifted his brows and looked at Clint, "What are you two arguing about?"

Clint hopped down from his seat on the countertop and stood in the middle of the kitchen, "What Darcy and I are _discussing_ , not arguing, is what is better: Froot Loops or Lucky Charms."

Steve blinked, "Cereal? You two are arguing about cereal."

" _Discussing_. And yes. So, what do you think? Which one is better?"

Steve shrugged, "I really don't know, I'm more of an oatmeal guy."

"Eww!" "Dude!" They both exclaimed, grimaces on their faces.

Steve threw up his hands. "Sorry! You'll just have to ask someone else." Clint's eyes lit up, "Stark! You know he has an opinion."

Darcy laughed, "Yes, please. Go poll Tony, Poll everyone. We both know who's right."

"We will see," Clint said, climbing on top of the refrigerator and through the air vent. Darcy and Steve just stared after him, matching frowns on their faces. Steve sighed, "I hate when he does that."

"Right?! Can't he use a door like a normal person?"

"He told me once that he can get anywhere in the tower in under a minute through the air ducts. Plus, I think he just likes to spy on people."

Darcy giggled, "Yeah, that's probably it. He's like a creepy little spider, crawling around spooking people." Steve smiled and for a moment they just looked at each other. Then, something crossed Darcy's face and the air thickened with the words that needed to be said. She took a bite of her cereal and Steve turned around and started making his breakfast.

After a few minutes, Darcy stood and carried her bowl over to the dishwasher, then hopped up on the countertop that Clint had recently vacated. She was only a few feet away and he shifted to the side a bit so he could see her more clearly. Even in her Iron Man pajamas, no makeup, and messy bedhead, she looked gorgeous.

She had a look of intense concentration on her face as she examined her cat slippers. Steve had never seen her speechless before, but he would've sworn she was struggling to find what she wanted to say. She must have sensed him watching her, because she looked up and sent him a sheepish smile. "So...this is awkward, huh?" Steve turned back to his eggs, "Not awkward exactly." She laughed," Oh. ok. Not awkward. Gotcha."

Steve stood gathering his thoughts, but just as he opened his mouth to say something, his super soldier ears picked up a faint scraping sound coming from the vent above their heads. He was not about to have this conversation in front of Clint. "Let's just not talk about this right now, ok?"

He watched as Darcy's face fell, but before he had a chance to explain his reticence, Clint popped his head down from the vent. "It's a no-go, Darce. I asked Stark and he started ranting some nonsense about Captain Crunch and I had to get the hell out of there."

"Whatever, bird boy." Darcy huffed, hopping off the counter and walking out of the kitchen. Clint cocked his head and looked at Steve, "What's wrong with her?"

Steve just sighed, "She takes her breakfast cereal very seriously."


	4. Chapter 4

Darcy stormed down the hall and into her room. _Ugh. The man was infuriating! Who did he think he was, kissing her like that and then pretending that nothing happened?!_ Darcy sailed into her apartment, a bundle of self-righteous rage. "America's hero. Pfft. Please. He is just a scared little boy." she muttered to herself, walking through her living room.

She was about to walk into her bedroom but froze when she caught a flash of red to her right. She backed up, only to see the Black Widow herself sitting on the couch watching her. "Yes, Natasha, please break into my apartment without warning and scare me half to death." Natasha smirked, "Hello to you too, Darcy. And what are we so worked up about today?"

"Nothing."

"Uh huh. Jane told me something was going on with you last night. You know we are going to find out, you may as well tell me now." Oh great, Jane put Nat on the case.

Darcy walked over and leaned against the arm of the couch. "Seriously, nothing." Natasha just stared at her. "Ok, fine. There is something, but I would really like to not talk about it. Please?" Darcy put on her best puppy dog face. "Pretty please?"

Natasha just rolled her eyes. "That is fine. First of all, I am very patient, and I will find out eventually. Second, you are gonna be stuck with me and Jane and copious amounts of alcohol tonight, so I don't think I'll have to wait too long. And finally, I think I already know what it is anyway."

Darcy glared at her, "I doubt that."

"Darcy, I am a spy. That is literally my job. I may not know the details, yet, but I know that something happened between you and Cap last night."

Darcy examined her nails and tried to look nonchalant. "Why do you say that?"

"Because you walk in here all fired up about 'America's hero' and because last night the two of you came creeping out of the shadows, all blushing and nervous." She paused, looking down at her phone, "Oh, and apparently Clint broke up a little moment between you and the noble Captain a few minutes ago." Natasha finished with a smirk.

Darcy flopped back on the couch and threw her arm over her face, groaning. "Ok, something happened. We kissed. Now he won't talk to me and it's all weird and my life is over."

"Well, that's not dramatic at all." Natasha stood up and stood looking over Darcy, "You're lucky I have to go do some work, or I would drag you kicking and screaming out of this little pity party. As it is, that can wait until tonight."

Darcy glared up at her smirking friend. "I hate you sometimes, you know. And, it's not a pity party if my life is really over."

Natasha turned away to leave, "Calm down, little one. Your life is far from over. And we will most definitely be discussing this tonight." Natasha shot over her shoulder, before leaving the apartment.

Darcy dragged herself off the couch and into the shower, cursing her bad luck. As she stood under the spray of water she pondered what to do about Steve. If their little breakfast fiasco was any indication, things between them were uneasy at best and he had no desire to talk about it or try to fix it. It was just a kiss for Thor's sake! Why couldn't they just acknowledge that it happened and that there was tension between them and try to put things back to normal?

Even as she thought this, Darcy knew it was one of those 'easier said than done' situations. Now that she had seen that particular side of Steve, tasted it even, she didn't really want to. _No, Darcy. You are going to talk to him and work this out and forget about how good his body feels pressed against yours. Or maybe you can stand here in the shower until you drown. Either one, really._ Darcy groaned and softly beat her head against the tile, _Maybe Natasha was right about me having a pity party. Best not tell her_ , Darcy decided.


	5. Chapter 5

Steve spent the next few hours beating up punching bags in the gym. He was beyond frustrated. This was not how he wanted things to happen. He was supposed to ask her out on a real date, maybe get a kiss when he dropped her off afterwards. He wasn't supposed to make out with her on a dark balcony and then leave things so tenuous between them.

If only he knew what she was thinking. If only she knew that he had feelings for her, had for awhile, actually. If only she knew that he didn't regret their kiss, but that he wanted to go about it a different way, he wanted her to know that he respected her and that he'd like very much to kiss her again. If only she knew these things, and that he was tragically bad at interacting with women he liked, maybe things between them wouldn't be so awkward.

This morning at breakfast he should have pulled her out of the room and explained his feelings for her and asked her to dinner. No, instead he panicked when he heard Clint coming and he had unwittingly pushed her away. He saw that look on her face and it killed him. He could only imagine what she was thinking about him.

As he hit the punching bag over and over he swore that he would make things right between them. Lost in his thoughts, he didn't even realize that someone had joined him in the gym. He jumped when he heard the clearing of a throat and whirled around to see none other than Natasha staring back at him. "Hey there, soldier."

Steve nodded at her, "Nat."

"What's got you all worked up this morning?"

He kept punching, "Nothing, just working out."

"Uh huh," Natasha said, a contemplative look on her face. Steve stopped his assault on the bag to look back at her, "What?"

She just shrugged and circled around him. Well, this was no good. "I just thought I'd check up on you. You looked a little peckish last night at the gala. Wanted to make sure that you weren't coming down with anything."

Steve narrowed his eyes, "Nope, can't get sick. Remember?"

She let out a soft laugh, "Oh, yeah. Silly me."

"Why do I get the feeling you are up to something right now?"

"Who? Me? You shouldn't be so paranoid, Steve. Anyway, I really did come down to check on you, but it looks like you're perfectly fine. Continue your workout." Steve watched Natasha walk out of the gym and shook his head, confused as to what had just happened.

He resumed his punching which meant he didn't hear Natasha mumbling to herself as she walked down the hall, "God, he's as stupid as she is." Nor did Steve notice the pep in her step as she formulated a plan to get two of her favorite idiots together.


	6. Chapter 6

Darcy had long ago perfected the art of a girls' night.

It all came down to preparation. First, food. Lots and lots of food. The junkier the food, the better. Next was alcohol. Lots and lots of alcohol. A wide selection meant lots of different fruity mixed drinks early in the night and for what Darcy called the 'bad-decision shots' that came later on. Next was entertainment. Movies were essential, but it had to be something that everyone had already seen a million times, not only so everyone could socialize without having to pay attention to the screen, but also so you could quote the lines along with it and convince yourself you weren't quite as drunk as you probably were.

But most important to a girls' night was the actual girls that were invited. Darcy felt she had lucked out because her go-to girls' night girls were Jane and Natasha. Who also happened to be her best friends and two of the coolest people she knew. At first glance, it didn't make sense that the three had bonded in such a way, they were wildly different from one another: Jane was all science, methodical, obsessive, serious; Natasha was intense too, but in a scarier way, ruthless and badass; and then there was Darcy. Somehow, their differences just made them connect in unexpected ways. They brought out the best in each other.

In preparation for tonight's get-together Darcy went all out. _Maybe I can distract them from harassing me all night about Steve,_ Darcy hoped. She set up their food orders with JARVIS, everyone's favorites. Then she went gathered up the alcohol and carted it into the common area where they would be hanging out tonight. Darcy then wandered up to the lab, where she knew she would be sure to find Jane. She took her lunch and stared at her friend for a few minutes to make sure she was fully involved in whatever experiment she was working on.

Satisfied that Jane was in full Science! mode, she typed up some data before her restlessness took over and she decided to go for a walk to clear her head. Darcy headed to the bank of elevators and pressed the button to the ground floor. She slipped in her headphones as the elevator made its downward descent, but after only a few floors, the doors opened and she looked up into the eyes of the very man she wanted to see the least.

Steve was talking to Sam and paused, eyes widening, as they entered the elevator, Sam standing at her side and Steve beside him, leaning against the wall facing them. Darcy nodded a greeting at them before turning up her music a little. She stared straight ahead but focused her attention to the man standing to her left. She could barely hear their voices over her music but she could sense that Steve was paying attention to more than just his and Sam's conversation.

Without moving her head, she looked over at him and, sure enough, his head was down as if he was looking at his feet, but his eyes were locked on her. Their eyes met and she swiveled hers back around to face forward. When the door stopped on their floor, she pulled her phone up to have something to look at other than him. She sensed them walking out and heard Sam tell her bye and she glanced up to respond back. As soon as the "Bye" left her lips, Steve turned back once more to look at her before the doors closed between them. _Damn him and his awkward stares!_

When the elevator reached the bottom floor, Darcy stomped out. She wandered the streets for awhile, lost in thought. She looped back around to return to the Tower, but stopped short when Steve's face hovered in front of her. Well, actually, it was Captain America. And it wasn't really him, just a giant poster of him hanging in a shop window, but still. It was enough to piss her off. Really?! _I can't get away from the guy_ , she sighed.

A few hours later saw Darcy dragging a pile of blankets and pillows into the common area. Natasha showed up a few minutes later, and then Thor appeared, Jane thrown over his shoulder. "Lady Darcy, I have brought you Jane as requested."

"Thanks big guy. How hard was it to drag her away from her the lab?" Thor chuckled, "It was most difficult. Never have I fought a greater battle than separating my lovely Jane from her dear science, but now she is here to enjoy your gathering of ladies."

Darcy grinned at him as he sat Jane on the couch, "Well, we will take it from here."

Jane frowned at both of them, arms crossed, "I was this close to finishing my calculation. Just let me go back and I promise I'll come back as soon as I'm done."

Darcy glared at her, "Nope, you are ours tonight. Sorry. You and I both know if I let you in that lab, I won't see you until next week or until I come up and pry you away. And don't even think of sneaking away, I've asked JARVIS to lock you out of the lab until tomorrow, so ha!" Jane sighed, dramatic frown covering her face. Thor leaned down and kissed her on her forehead, "Let science rest for one night, it shall be there tomorrow. When you are ready for bed, have JARVIS alert me and I shall retrieve you, if you wish. Enjoy your merriment, ladies." He nodded at Darcy and Natasha.

Darcy stared at Thor as he walked out, "Jane, my friend, you are a _very_ lucky lady."

"Darcy! Please don't stare at my boyfriend's ass."

Darcy just raised an eyebrow, "Hey, I'm just looking. I mean, you have seen it, right?"

Natasha agreed, "We've all looked. It's definitely not the worst ass I've ever seen." Jane thought for a moment before shrugging, "I can't argue with that."

Because they loved her so, Jane and Natasha waited until they were all a little drunk until they mentioned Steve. Darcy just rolled her eyes and begged to change the subject. "No!" Jane screeched, "Tell us about the kiss! Was it good? Is he a good kisser?"

Darcy shot a glare at Natasha, "Of course you told her." Natasha just shrugged. Darcy could feel her cheeks redden and doubted she could blame it on the alcohol. "It was nice. Really nice. Maybe it's because I haven't gotten any action in, like, forever, but it was kind of amazing. Those lips!" She grinned at her friends for a moment before shaking her head. She rambled on, telling them about the being with him on the balcony, about how they had a moment and how great the kiss was, and then how he acted after. About breakfast that morning and how he would barely speak to her now, "But now it's all weird and he probably hates me and thinks I'm a flooze."

Jane and Natasha exchanged a look that if Darcy had to decipher, would be one that said, _She is our friend and we love her but she is also so very stupid._ But Darcy was also slightly intoxicated, so maybe it was just a look.

Jane started to say something, but Natasha broke in, "Darcy, please. You two are both idiots. He doesn't regret kissing you and he most definitely doesn't think any less of you. He is just hilariously bad at talking to women that he finds attractive. That would be you, in case that's not clear. Now pull your head out of your ass and do something about it or I will."

Darcy stopped, "Wait, what are you going to do?" Natasha didn't respond and Darcy looked on in horror as she pulled out her phone and started scrolling through her texts. "Nat! Please tell me you aren't about to text him!"

Natasha just set her phone down slowly. "I will if you don't. This foolishness has gone on long enough. Call him. Or text him, I don't care. Just fix this." Darcy glared at Natasha as she dug through her blankets for her phone before waving it at Natasha. "Fine! Just give me a minute. And let me take a shot. This definitely requires a shot." Darcy threw back the alcohol and stared at her phone.

Jane and Natasha watched her for awhile and then turned back to each other, continuing a conversation from earlier. Darcy tried to slowly put her phone to the side, but Natasha put it right back on her lap, "No. We are still watching you. Now type."

"Fine. Yes ma'am." Darcy took a deep breath and started typing.


	7. Chapter 7

Steve was sitting on the couch in his apartment watching a movie when his phone started beeping. Earlier in the night he had worked up the courage to talk to Darcy, but when he asked JARVIS where she was, he was reminded that it was her, Natasha and Jane's girls' night and that they were not to be disturbed unless the world was ending. His heart leapt when he saw who was texting him. He wasn't expecting to see or hear from her tonight.  So, this was a pleasant surprise, to say the least.

He put his beer down and picked it up as his screen filled with messages.

 **Darcy** : _Hey. It's Darcy._

 **Darcy** : _Nevermind. You knew that. Caller ID._

 **Darcy** : _Anyway, hey._

 **Darcy** : _I wanna talk to you about last night. I know things are weird or whatever, but yeah._

 **Darcy** : _I just don't want things to be weird between us. You're one of my best friends._

 **Darcy** : _I mean, seriously, you're one of my favorite people in the world._

 **Darcy** : _It was just a kiss._

 **Darcy** : _Well, it was more than a kiss. It was kind of spectacular._

 **Darcy** : _You have really soft lips_.

 **Darcy** : _And you're so tall._

 **Darcy** : _And muscley._

 **Darcy** : _And you're just a really cool guy._

 **Darcy** : _But also really cut._

 **Darcy** : _I mean I've had dreams about your shoulders._

 **Darcy** : _And your chest._

 **Darcy** : _Probably shouldn't have said that, but whatever, I'm drunk._

 **Darcy** : _Thank god for autocorrect, right???_

 **Darcy** : _Anyway, I don't want you to be mad at me or whatever._

 **Darcy** : _Are you getting these? I feel like I'm texting a wall right now._

Steve just stared as his screen kept filling with messages. Apparently, Drunk Darcy texted the way Drunk Darcy talked. Nonstop rambling. Nonstop rambling that he happened to find both adorable and confusing. Hell, he could barely keep up with Sober Darcy sometimes.

 **Steve** : _Yes, I'm getting these. You type really fast._

 **Darcy** : _I know. I can't help it._

 **Darcy** : _It's like verbal diarrhea. But like, texted._

 **Darcy** : _Jane hates it._

 **Darcy** : _I'm sorry._

 **Darcy** : _Are you busy? I can stop texting you if you're busy._

 **Steve** : _No, I'm not busy. Are you having fun at your girls night?_

 **Darcy** : _Yes! Although Jane and Nat are ganging up on me. They are evil._

 **Darcy** : _They keep staring at me and I'm gonna scream._

 **Darcy** : _I told them we kissed._

 **Darcy** : _I hope that's ok._

 **Darcy** : _I was very complimentary, don't worry._

 **Darcy** : _Sorry. I probably shouldn't keep bringing that up._

 **Darcy** : _Never happened, right?_

He frowned at that.

 **Steve** : _Of course it happened. Do you think I want to pretend it didn't?_

His phone sat quietly for a moment.

 **Darcy** : _Well, yeah_

He let out a frustrated sigh.

 **Steve** : _That's not true. Can I come talk to you? I know it's your girls night, but can I come down so we can discuss this? I can't type as fast as you._

 **Darcy** : _Yeah. That'd be cool_.

 **Steve** : _Ok. I'll be down in a minute._

Steve left his apartment and headed to the floor that served as the common area. In the elevator he caught himself running his hands through his hair and straightening his clothing. _Be cool, Steve_. He exited the elevator and walked down the hall and stood in the doorway of the room the girls were in. He watched as they sat huddled together, giggling at the movie playing on the tv.

Natasha sensed him first and swirled her head around, a sneaky grin filling her face when she saw who it was. "Darcy, I think you have a visitor." Darcy turned toward him and let out a little squeak.

"Hello ladies, would it be alright if I spoke to Darcy for a moment?"

"Oh, yes, please talk to her," Jane said, nudging her friend into a standing position. Steve watched as Darcy picked her way through the blankets and across the room, slightly unsteady on her feet. He waited until she got to him before he nodded at her and motioned for her to meet him in the hallway.


	8. Chapter 8

Darcy stood against the wall and looked up at Steve. _Oh, lord, he is so pretty._ He looked nervous. "So, what have you been up to tonight?"

He finally met her eyes, "Oh, nothing really. I was watching a movie."

"Oh. I didn't interrupt you, did I?"

"No, I've seen it before. It was just something to pass the time. You didn't interrupt anything."

She nodded, "Good, I'm glad."

"What have you all been doing tonight? I've never known what a girls' night entails."

Darcy giggled, "Hmm, it's basically just a lot of food, booze and gossip. The usual."

"That sounds fun."

"Oh, it is. Jane and I used to have them in New Mexico whenever I could drag her away from science. And now we've adopted Natasha into our little group."

"Yeah, gotta say, she is not the type I would have pictured participating in something like that. I don't know that she does a lot of things just because they're fun."

Darcy just smiled, "Well, that just means she needs it even more. Don't get me wrong, she is way scary sometimes, but she is so much more than that. Plus, I like having a friend that could kill my enemies using only her thighs." They both chuckled at that, knowing it was very true. Darcy looked at him, hating this small talk they were making. This was not what they were supposed to be discussing. They stood awkwardly in front of each other, both knowing something needed to be said, but neither being willing to say it.

Finally, Darcy took a deep breath, "Are we not gonna talk about the fact that you kissed me?" Steve blinked at her for a moment, "You kissed me back." Ok, so it came out a little more accusatory than he intended.

"Yes, I did. I was actually pretty psyched about it. too. And then you had to go be weird about the whole situation."

Darcy watched as Steve tried to gather his thoughts. It looked like he might argue with her, but then he shook his head. "You are right. I'm no good at this. I was going to say something at breakfast this morning but I didn't know what to say and Clint was coming and I didn't want to say it in front of him."

"Oh, I thought you just didn't wanna talk about it."

"No, no, that's not it at all." They stared at the floor for a moment, trying not to choke on the tension between them.

Darcy rarely found herself speechless, and she absolutely detested this, She glanced up at Steve, who looked equally as uncomfortable. He shook his head, "I'm no good at this, Darce. I'm not the blushing virgin Tony jokes about but I've never been in a real relationship. The only real interaction I've ever had with women was during the war, with Peggy and the USO girls. Hell, I haven't had to try to navigate something like this with anyone since Peggy, and things were so different then, It was during the war and things were so hectic and she was the first girl I really liked. But at least I knew how to interact with her, I understood how a man was supposed to act with a woman he liked, even if it made me a little nervous. But those were different times. Now, I watch tv and read books and surf the internet and everything is just so different," He ran his hand nervously through his hair, "And, I don't know, Darce, you just make me nervous."

She gaped at him, "What? But, why? You're not nervous around Natasha or Maria, or even Pepper. I'm not even close to their level of intimidating."

"I don't like them, though, Darce."

Darcy felt her mouth fall open a bit and felt a lightness fill her. She looked at Steve, who now had a stricken look on his face, as if he didn't mean to say all that. "You like me?" He nodded softly, Darcy looked down and tried to contain the grin that was filling her face. She took a step forward, "You know, I like you too, right?" she said, finally meeting Steve's eyes.

The corner of his mouth quirked up, "Yeah. Well, no. Not for sure, I was just hoping I was reading the signs right."

"Oh, yes, you most definitely were." They stood there grinning at each other like idiots.

Darcy spoke, "So, we both like each other. What do we do with this newfound information?"

"I want to take you out, on a proper date. That is, if you would like to." Darcy nodded, "Yeah, I'd love that."

"Tomorrow night? I can pick you up at seven."

"Seven works."

They looked shyly at one another, both a little uncertain about where to go from here. It was a different kind of weird, but a good one. Steve took a step forward and kissed Darcy on the cheek, "I guess I'll let you get back to Nat and Jane. I'll see you tomorrow evening."

Darcy nodded, "Yeah, ok. I'm glad we talked this out."

"Me too. Goodnight, Darcy."

He started to turn away and Darcy stepped forward, grabbing his arm, "If I'm gonna have to wait until tomorrow night for our date, soldier, I'm gonna need something to tide me over in the meantime." All Steve saw was her sassy grin before she stepped on on her tiptoes and fell against him, arm at his neck pulling his lips to hers. He wrapped his arms around her back, holding her body close. Darcy was glad to see that the spark she felt the last time they kissed was no fluke, this second kiss was filled with a heat she wasn’t expecting. At some point, Darcy registered that Steve had pushed her back until she was pressed against the wall. She could feel his body against hers as their tongues danced.

Unfortunately, Darcy had to come up for air at some point. She broke away, leaning her head back against the wall so she could look at him. The grin on his face echoed hers, as well as the fact that they both were trying to catch their breaths. Jane’s drunken voice drifted out from the common room, “Darcyyyyy! Come back! We miss you!” Steve’s chest rumbled as he laughed, “I think you’re being summoned.” Darcy rolled her eyes, “So I hear.”

Steve disentangled his body from Darcy’s and stepped back, although the look in his eyes said that was the exact opposite of what he really wanted to do. He took a final steadying breath and straightened, “I am going to let you get back. I’ll see you tomorrow night, seven o’clock. Night, Darcy.” She gave a little wave and a wide grin to him as he stepped onto the elevator, “See you then, night Steve.” She watched as the doors closed, him watching her the entire time.

Once he disappeared from view, Darcy danced around in place, making excited little squeals. She hopped all the way back to the common room, pausing before entering to compose herself. When she entered the room, however, Jane and Nat both stopped and looked at her questioningly. Darcy grinned and twirled towards them, “I love you two. Like, seriously, so much. Even you, my little assassin.” she said, kissing Natasha on the head. She flopped back down, throwing back her head and staring at the ceiling dreamily.

Natasha looked at Jane, “I’m guessing things went well?” Jane nodded, “I think so. Darcy?”

“Mm-hmm?” She looked at her friends and saw their expectant faces, “Oh! Yes, things went well. He likes me. Like, _like_ likes me. We kissed. And it was just as magical as the first time. And he is so not mad at me this time...he’s taking me on a date! Tomorrow! Oh my god, I’m gonna die!” Jane squealed and clapped her hands together demanding details, and even Natasha had a pleased look on her face. They both listened intently as Darcy recounted her interaction with Steve and they promised to help her pick out an outfit and get ready.


	9. Chapter 9

Unfortunately, their date night did not go as expected. The next afternoon there was a call to assemble and Steve went off with his fellow Avengers to save the world again. At seven o’clock, the time when she should have been waiting on Steve to show up for their date, she was instead sitting in the lab watching Jane work. She knew from JARVIS that the team was somewhere in Iceland, having freshly defeated some genetic experiment gone wrong, and that they weren’t expected back until the next day. Darcy sat frowning at her computer, too bummed to focus on anything.

She was in the middle of doodling her seventeenth frowny face when her phone started playing Star Spangled Man With a Plan. Grinning, she answered, “Hey.” Steve’s tired voice responded, “Hey yourself.”

Darcy glanced over at Jane hard at work and slipped out into the hallway, “So, how’s it going?” Steve sighed, “Oh, you know how it is. Saving the world, spreading truth, justice and the American way.” Darcy giggled, “Ahh, yes. Well, the world thanks you.”

“It should. I had some pretty great plans for tonight that I’m missing out on.” Darcy felt her grin widen, “Oh yeah? What kinda plans were those?”

“I had plans to take out my best girl. Dinner and a movie. Maybe try to steal a kiss at the end of the night.”

“Now, I’m sure you wouldn’t have to steal anything, big hero like you. I’m sure she’d gladly kiss you. Do I know this lucky lady?”

She could hear the grin lacing his words as he spoke, “Maybe. Darcy? Gorgeous dame with a wit to match.”

“Oh, her. Yeah, I have it on pretty good authority you wouldn’t need to steal any kisses from her. As a matter of fact, she’s kinda sweet on you, she’d probably let you get to second base. Maybe wave you on into third.”

Steve let out a rough laugh, “Well, that’s good to hear,” he paused a moment, letting out a frustrated sigh, “Darce, I hate that I missed our date.”

She frowned, “It’s ok. I mean, at least you have a good excuse, saving the world and all that.” They sat in silence, although it was an altogether different one than the one from a few days earlier, when they weren’t sure where they stood with one another. This one was loaded with a different type of tension. A better type. “I really wish I was there right now,” Steve said softly.

“Me too. It’s ok, though. When you get back we’ll make up for it,” she let her words hang in the air, a promise that things were more than ok between them. “Now, tell me all about Iceland.”

He started talking, his voice low and sure, telling her about the mission, Darcy laughing at his descriptions of the fight. It wasn’t a serious call, everyone made it out unscathed, the fight itself was little more than a cleanup effort. Darcy sat down, leaning against the wall, just enjoying hearing his voice. After his second yawn, though, she spoke up, “Ok, soldier. You need to go to sleep. No excuses.” she said, ignoring his protests, “I need you well-rested when you get back here. I have plans for you.” That shut him up.

“Yes ma’am.”

“Goodnight, Steve. Be safe.”

“You too. Goodnight.” Darcy ended the call and sat with her head leaned back against the wall. She was so screwed. To be this far gone over a guy she hadn’t even been on a date with? Yep, totally screwed.


	10. Chapter 10

The next morning, Darcy walked into the lab only to find a note with her name on it sitting on her desk. After checking on Jane and Bruce, she sat down and opened it. She grinned when she saw a cute little doodle of her and Steve sitting at a table, eating spaghetti, _Lady and the Tramp_ style. Below the drawing, was Steve's neat handwriting, _Darcy, If you don’t have plans tonight, I’d like to take you out. No emergencies this time. The world can save itself tonight. Yours, Steve._

Darcy bit back a grin and sent him a text.

 **Darcy** : _See you tonight, soldier. You can pick me up at 7._

 **Steve** : _Yes ma’am. 7:00 it is._

Five minutes until 7:00 found Darcy dashing around her bedroom and bathroom, finalizing her look. She’d dug out her favorite dress, royal blue with a sweetheart neckline and swingy skirt. She’d pinned her hair back and taken extra time with her makeup. Sure, Steve had seen her at her sloppiest, but she wanted to look nice for him.

When she heard the knock, she gave herself a final once-over, sprayed on some perfume and ran to the door. She threw it opened and grinned at Steve. She was so busy giving him the once-over and swooning a bit at how good he looked, she almost missed the appreciative look on his face. Almost. Since it was a nice night, they walked the few blocks to the restaurant, their bodies close, occasionally possibly-on-purpose bumping into each other. The restaurant was nice, quiet, out of the way, a good place to not be bothered by any of Captain America’s admirers. Plus, Pepper swore by the food.

Throughout dinner they kept up a steady stream of conversation, talking about their lives and laughing over the exploits of their friends. Darcy was so glad that this new side of their friendship, this shining possibility of something more, hadn’t taken away any of the easy camaraderie they already had. Because as much as she wanted to make out with Steve Rogers, she loved having his friendship just as much. So the thought of getting to make out with a Steve Rogers who was still her best friend was a very exciting one.

After their plates were taken away and they were waiting on dessert, Steve reached across the table and grabbed her hand. He just held it there, gently rubbing his fingers over her knuckles, a fond look in his eye. When they finished eating, they walked out of the restaurant and headed back to the Tower. This time, Steve made no secret wanting to be near her, no accidental-on-purpose touches at all. He held her hand tightly, keeping her close to him. Darcy lay her head against his shoulder as they ambled along, taking their time. Steve talked in his low voice, telling Darcy about what the city had been like when he was younger, laughing when she made him promise to take her on a tour of the Young Steve Rogers Brooklyn.

They arrived back at the Tower, entering the elevator still holding hands. Thank god Tony wasn’t around, or he would have embarrassed the both of them with some cheesy innuendos. Darcy grinned at Steve, “I have a surprise for you. JARVIS?”

“Yes, Miss Lewis?”

“Can you take us to the roof, pretty please?” Steve arched an eyebrow and returned her grin.

“Of course, Miss Lewis. It would be my pleasure”

“Thanks, J.” The doors opened and Darcy tugged Steve out behind her. She pulled him over to the railing where Steve took in the view of the city. His eyes scanned until he was able to pick out Brooklyn in the distance, Central Park, so many familiar buildings and streets.

The city lights twinkled and it reminded him of the last time they’d taken in a city night together. That timidness that thankfully hadn’t stopped either of them from acting on their feelings. All of that wasted time, when they were both too foolish to see what was happening. And now here they were, finally getting things right. He couldn’t be happier.

Darcy led him around the edge of the roof, pointing out her favorite places. Steve soon joined in, picking out the places from his youth and describing how they’d changed while still somehow remaining the same. He pointed out where parts of the Battle of New York had taken place, not to ruin the moment, but because there were some places that would forever hold the scars of that day, at least for him. She just nodded and talked about New Mexico and London, showing him that she was no stranger to war, although she was far from a soldier. He realized for the first time that as down to earth and normal as Darcy was, her life was one outrageous thing after another, and yet she seemed to take it all in stride.

“Do you ever wish you just had a normal life?” Steve asked softly.

Darcy lifted a shoulder and looked out over the water, at the ferry lights blinking in the distance, “Yeah, of course. I wonder what it would be like to not have to worry that I have a target painted on my back because of where I live and the people I know, wonder about not having to deal with things like supervillians and evil aliens and whoever the baddie of the week is, to be able to go to work and not have to worry about my boss sucking me into a black hole or something equally as ridiculous, or the building where I live and work being blown up because Tony’s pissed somebody off or threatened another terrorist.” She gave a soft laugh, “But then I see Jane working so hard to understand the world, and all the rest of you working so hard to save it, and all those worries seem so small. I think it’s one of those things where if I didn’t know about all the craziness in this world, I could live without it. But I do know. Thor literally dropped out of the sky from another world; it’s kinda hard to come back from something like that.”

She shot him a soft smile, “Normal is good. Normal is really good sometimes. But _this_?” She motioned around her, at the building, and then to the space between them, “This isn’t so bad.”

Steve looked at Darcy telling him all this. Giving him a peek into what life was like for her to live and work around these larger than life people. Confessing her hopes and fears, inviting him in without question. And he thinks that maybe someday, probably a lot sooner than he’d imagine, this could be him. That one day he’ll look at her and tell her everything, all the things he never dared tell anyone else. Every broken, ecstatic part of him will just pour out. It’s this belief that fills his chest with something that he thinks could be love. He never says any of this, doesn’t know how, he just scoops her into his arms and kisses her.


	11. Chapter 11

When they got to Darcy’s apartment, she motioned him inside, “C’mon, let’s watch a movie. I’ll even let you pick one of those boring old man movies you like so much.” She shot him a quick wink before turning on her heels and walking inside. He smirked, “You are too kind. This old man thanks you.” She grabbed them both a beer and dragged a big fluffy blanket over to the couch as he queued up the movie. They settled in, Darcy leaning against him. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and sat with their bodies pressed together. 

Darcy was certain if he ever wanted to stop with the superheroing he definitely had a career in professional cuddling. She grinned when she saw the movie he’d chosen, one of her favorite musicals. He never judged her for singing along, just watched her with a fond smile on his face, nodding whenever there was a pop culture reference she needed to explain to him. 

The movie ended and Darcy shifted a bit so she could look up at Steve. They stared at each other a moment just enjoying being with there together before Darcy spoke, “Now, what’s this I heard about you trying to steal a kiss from me?” Steve arched an eyebrow, “Oh, you heard that, huh?” 

Darcy gave a small nod, a gentle smile playing at her lips. Steve looked away, “Yeah, I thought about it, but now I’m not so sure. Especially since I heard that you weren’t gonna make me steal anything. Except maybe second base.” Darcy slid her legs beneath her so she could sit and look at Steve, “I don’t know where you got your information, but it is 100% accurate.” He just laughed, “I’m glad to hear it.” 

With that, Darcy leaned up and kissed Steve. She softly bit at his bottom lip, grinning when he let out a groan. He pushed his tongue into her mouth, sliding it against hers. Darcy ran her hand over his shoulders, leaning into him. Steve’s hands roamed at her sides, then down to pull at her hips. She slid her leg over him and lowered herself to sit on his lap. 

Steve pressed his palms against her thighs where her dress had ridden up. Darcy pulled away from his mouth to press kisses along his jaw back to his ear, where she nipped at his earlobe, her hands roaming over his muscular chest and abs. He positively growled, making her release a breathy giggle, “You ok there, Captain?” His hands slid under her shirt, cupping her breast in his hand as his thumb rubbed her nipple through the lacy fabric. 

Darcy let out a soft moan and he chuckled, “I’m fine, doll. You ok?” She whispered, “Shut up,” before resuming her mouth’s exploration of Steve’s neck. Darcy rocked her hips forward, breath catching when she felt his hard length against her sensitive center. Steve’s hand clamped down on her hips as he ground himself against her. 

Darcy buried her face in his neck, gasping at the sensation of their bodies pressed together, “My bedroom’s right down the hall,” she said with a slow roll of her hips. Steve let out a soft huff and stood, Darcy in his arms, her legs clamped around his waist. He paused at the doorway of her bedroom, looking Darcy in the eyes, “You sure about this?” Darcy bit her lip and nodded, “Positive, Steve.” He grinned back at her, striding quickly into the room. 

They reached the bed and Darcy slid down his body to stand in front of him. She turned away from him, “Unzip me?” Steve’s hands ghosted across her neck as he slid the zipper down. Darcy slid the dress off and tossed it aside. She looked over her shoulder at him as she unclasped her bra and dropped it. Steve’s hands returned to her shoulders, rubbing along her arms as Darcy reached up to wind her arm around his neck. Steve slid his hands forward along her rib cage, cupping her breasts and pulling her flush against him. 

Darcy could feel his erection pressed against her back so she reached behind her to run her fingers along his length, “I’m thinking you should get naked pretty soon.” Steve leaned down to lay soft kisses along her jaw and whisper in her ear, I can do that.” Darcy stepped away and flopped on the edge of the bed, turning to watch the show. Steve’s eyes narrowed seeing her topless for the first time, bouncing as she sat down. 

She sat up, prim and proper, studying Steve as he undid his shirt, eyes dipping lower with each button. She bit her lip as he reached back and pulled his undershirt over his head, tossing it on a chair. His pants followed after, and as he reached to pull off his underwear, Darcy stopped him, reaching forward to pull his hand up and toward her. He stepped forward and she gave him a faint smile as she lowered his underwear, never looking away from him. 

Darcy let her eyes slowly rake over his body, letting the appreciation show on her face. She reached out and wrapped her hand around his cock, feeling the weight of him in her fingers. With a naughty grin, she gave him a few gentle strokes. Steve said her name roughly, then scooped her up by the ass and placed her further back on the bed. He knelt between her legs and pressed soft kisses along her knee, then further up her thigh, nudging her legs apart with his shoulders. 

Darcy let out a soft moan as his mouth kissed her at her core, their skin separated by her lacy panties. She could feel his breath rustle against her as he spoke, “These are very sexy, Darcy, but they are in my way.” She grinned and lifted her hips enough for him to slide her panties off of her. Steve resumed his gentle kissing, pressing his lips everywhere but in the place she wanted them most. He chuckled at Darcy shifting her hips toward him, “Patience, Darcy.” 

She kicked his side softly with her foot, “Just didn’t know Captain America was such a tease.” 

Steve lifted an eyebrow and shot her a wicked grin, “Captain America isn’t, but Steve Rogers believes good things come to those who wait.” 

Darcy gave him her best unimpressed look under the circumstances and grinned as Steve ducked his head and kissed back up her thigh. She nearly squealed when he finally pressed his mouth against her, not too much pressure, just enough to send shockwaves through her body. Darcy felt his tongue lick a straight line up to circle lazily around her clit. He ran one finger against her, exploring, as he placed his mouth directly against her bundle of nerves, creating a delightful pressure that made Darcy think she’d died and gone to heaven. Steve slid a finger inside of her, then two. Twisting his fingers to touch her most sensitive spot, he lapped at her until she came undone with a strangled gasp. 

He propped himself up on an elbow and took in the sight of Darcy laid out in front of him, flushed and sated. She bit her lip and crooked her fingers, motioning him towards her, “C’mere, soldier.” Steve just grinned and crawled up her body, taking detours with his mouth and hands to map her curves. He kissed a line up her jaw then to her mouth, which he swept with his tongue. 

His hard length pressed against her soft heat. She broke off the kiss to whisper in his ear, “I’m on the pill.” He looked down at her, nodded once, and reached down to guide himself inside of her. She let out a gasp and scraped her fingernails through his hair. He paused, enjoying the feeling of her surrounding him. She looked up into his eyes, giddy at the emotion she saw as he looked at her. He gave her a soft kiss on the tip of her nose and began moving again. 

Darcy arched her hips up to meet his thrusts, moaning at the way he filled her up. Steve caught her nipple in his mouth, never pausing his hips and brought Darcy to orgasm. She gasped his name, squeezing his arms. Steve quickened his movements and came with a shudder soon after. 

They lay together later, curled around each other, both drowsy with happiness. Steve could feel Darcy’s breathing even out as she fell asleep. He smiled down at her, gathering her closer and allowed the sweet warmth of her body lull him to sleep. 

He awoke hours later to the sunlight filtering in through the gauzy curtains and a pair of lips trailing soft kisses on his neck. He grinned sleepily, “Morning, Darce.” He could feel her lips curl against his skin, “Good morning, Steve.” She lazily ran a hand across his torso, feeling his muscles under her hands, then paused. 

Darcy twisted around to look up at Steve, playful glint in her eyes, “Does this mean we’re going steady?” 

Steve chuckled, “Yeah, I guess so. You good with that?” 

Darcy nodded, “Yep. I’m good with that. What was it they did back in your day? Pin each other? You gonna pin me, Steve?” she teased. 

He shot her a playful smirk at the tiny squeal she made as he flipped her over and cradled himself between her legs, “Oh, I’m definitely gonna pin you, doll.”


End file.
